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Can’t Get Down On The Ground? Try These Core Exercises!

Can’t Get Down On The Ground? Try These Core Exercises!

by | Jun 5, 2022 | Blog, Core, Exercises

Whether we want to simply mix things up, or it’s due to injury or health concerns, there are reasons why floor core work may not be right for us. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want to, or can’t, train hard and really challenge our core from all angles.

And actually there are a ton of core exercises that don’t require us to get down on the ground that are extremely beneficial even if we can do floor core work!

We can use non-floor core moves to work everything from our shoulders to our knees down our frontside and our backside.

We can literally work our entire core with a variety of tools and both rotational and anti-rotational moves.

And these 3 moves are a great way to work everything without getting down on the ground no matter your fitness level.

But first I do just want to mention the importance of that mind-body connection and being intentional with these moves.

If you just rush through these movements without focusing on what you feel working, you will not get the full benefit.

Focus on the push and pull of muscles. Focus on powering rotation and decelerating the movement. Focus on fighting rotation.

Really focus on what you feel working.

And if you feel your lower back taking over during any of these moves, do not be afraid to regress to progress.

Too often we just DO moves, we train harder, without focusing on what is actually working.

This is what perpetuates overload and injury. It’s what can make us super frustrated we aren’t seeing results while working really hard.

It’s because it’s not just enough to work hard and sweat and feel tired.

We do not want to waste effort!

So really focus on what you feel working and don’t get ego in advancing too quickly.

If you don’t feel your abs or obliques or glutes working, but instead your lower back, it’s time to step back or even change how you cue the move to yourself!

So what are the 3 amazing non-floor core moves to really target those abs, obliques, glutes, quads and even back?

 

3 Killer Core Moves You Don’t Need To Get Down On The Ground To Do….

#1: Rotational Swing

Standing core moves are a great option if you can’t get down on the ground. And you can do some amazing rotational exercises while standing to target those abs, obliques and even your glutes.

Rotational moves, like the rotational swing, are key to include because you aren’t just learning how to accelerate rotation but also DECELERATE and stop it.

It’s key we learn how to control rotation so that we avoid injury in everyday life and can prevent unwanted twisting through our spine.

The Rotational Swing is a great variation of that traditional hip hinge that targets the abs and obliques even more while still working the glutes and training that hip hinge movement pattern.

To do the Rotational Swing, you can use a Dumbbell or Kettlebell. Hold the weight in both hands while standing tall with your feet about hip-width apart.

Hinge at your hips to hike the weight back between your legs to start the swing.

Squeeze your glutes as you push the ground away and stand up tall, swinging the weight out in front of you.

Do not pull the weight forward with your arms. Use the glute drive to power the swing.

Then as the weight begins to lower back down, hinge at your hips, slightly pulling the weight outside one hip.

Rotate your torso slightly to allow the weight to swing outside one hip. Sit your butt back as you hinge over to swing the weight back. Make sure you do NOT round over as you hinge back.

After hinging over, swing the weight back and around front and then hinge over again as the weight swings back outside your other hip.

Make sure to squeeze your glutes and push the ground away each time you stand up to propel the weight up and over to the other side.

As you allow the weight to come back outside your hip, make sure to hinge over really sitting your butt back to load your glutes. Brace your abs to avoid twisting further than you need to just come outside your hip and do not let your spine round.

Move quickly with this swing starting light to make sure you can control the weight!

You may start with even a band version of this swing to help you learn to load those glutes and rotate to twist the weight outside your hips. This will apply resistance in a different way but require less control to decelerate the rotation.

#2: Bench V-Ups

Often when we can’t get down to the ground we feel stuck with only standing core moves. And while they are fabulous, we can still do lying and seated core work by using a bench!

So often we forget that we can use other tools to make it easy to lie down and even do seated exercises!

Not to mention using a bench can be a great way to progress and vary the range of motion we can work through to match our needs and goals.

Even if you can get down on the ground, the Bench V-Up is a killer core exercise that allows you to extend that range of motion you would use doing it off the ground.

This exercise is a great ab, hip and quad movement. Just make sure you slightly round your spine using the c-sit or creating a c curve so you aren’t just relying on your hip flexors.

While any ab exercise that uses hip flexion will engage those hip flexors, we want to make sure our abs are working to brace!

To do this move, sit on the front edge of your bench with your legs out straight in front of you and lean back to rest your hands on the bench behind you. You can place your hands over the back edge of the bench with your elbows bent to just slightly support and balance you.

As you lean back, slightly tuck your hips up toward your ribs and lift your heels just off the ground.

Then sit up forward as you lift your legs straight up toward the ceiling. You can use your hands to balance but try not to push off of them too much.

Think about pulling everything together with your abs, crunching your torso up as you lift your legs.

Then lean back and lower your legs so that your heels over just off the ground. Move at a controlled pace and focus on feeling those abs.

If you feel your lower back, you need to modify the movement.

The more you lean back and really use that extended range of motion, the harder this move will be.

To modify, you can do a single leg raise, even bending your knee or start by taking the lower body out of it completely to work on just that hinge back and the ab engagement to control that spinal flexion and c-sit movement!

#3: Anti-Rotational Overhead Press

One essential standing core move, that’s extremely popular, is the Pallof Press or stability press.

This is a great anti-rotational core move.

Anti-Rotational core work is so key so we have that stability and strength to avoid unwanted or unnecessary rotation during movement.

It helps us protect our spine and hips especially. But it can also help us improve our SHOULDER health.

And that’s why I love this overhead press variation of the stability press.

This move is a great way to target those obliques and abs while also working your glute medius, back and shoulders.

To do the Anti-Rotational Overhead Press, anchor a band to the side of you below your waist.

Walk away from the anchor point, holding the band in both hands up at the middle of your chest with your side to the anchor point. You want to feel the band trying to pull you to rotate toward the anchor point with your hands at your chest and feet about hip-width apart.

The wider your feet, the more support you’ll have so by narrowing your stance, you can make the move harder. But only do so if you can actually control the move and fight the rotation.

Engage your abs and obliques as well as upper back to unshrug your shoulders and press your chest out. Flex your quads and squeeze your glutes so you fight the urge to rotate.

Keeping everything engaged, slowly press up overhead without rotating. Then lower back down and repeat.

Move slowly to avoid rotating toward the anchor point as you extend your arms up overhead and bring them back down.

If you want to rotate toward that anchor point, go with a lighter band or move in slightly. You want tension in the band throughout the movement BUT can adjust how much it forces you to work by how far out you step.

You can also make the move harder by bringing your feet closer together for less of a base of support.

If you struggle with the proper thoracic extension to press overhead, you can also perform a chest press straight out instead!

SUMMARY:

Using these 3 moves you can really work your entire core using different planes of motion without getting down on the ground.

You can even combine these moves into a quick burner, performing 30 seconds of work per move or per side for a couple of rounds!

Want more amazing moves and workouts? Follow me on Instagram!

And shoot me a message to let me know what goals you’re working toward. I’d love to help!

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The Best Oblique Exercise (You’re Not Doing)

The Best Oblique Exercise (You’re Not Doing)

by | Dec 21, 2021 | Blog, Core, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Runner's

A few of the most common moves I see done for oblique work are the Pallof Press, side planks and teapots (love them or hate them…which is a topic for another day).

But my favorite is actually a unilateral balance challenge and bodyweight exercise.

This move requires no equipment and is deceptively hard.

But if you regress to progress, and take the time to master it, it will take not only your core strength, but also your scapular, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle stability to the next level.

It’s seriously one of the most amazing compound oblique exercises out there and one of the most awkward feeling as you get your balance – The Single Arm Rotational Plank with Knee Drive.

This rotational core exercise is an amazing way to really target your obliques and abs while also working your adductors, quads, Serratus Anterior, shoulders, back…and so much more.

However it is more challenging a unilateral move than we give it credit for.

If you can’t control the advanced variation and perform it slowly, please make sure to use the modifications I mention. You don’t get better results by rushing a movement or by doing a harder variation you haven’t earned.

The best results happen when we are intentional with our exercises so we can get more out of every movement. And you want to make sure you get all of the benefits you can from this move!

So…What are the benefits of this amazing move?

With this unilateral move, if you take the time to learn to control it, you will…

  • Improve your hip and knee stability, especially strengthening those adductors and quads.
  • Work your obliques and abs with both the rotational movement and the crunch. Your abs have to work hard to actually prevent unwanted extension of your spine as you even rotate to face the ground.
  • Improve your shoulder and scapular stability strengthening both the muscles of your shoulder but also of your upper back as well as your Serratus Anterior. You’ll feel that muscle really having to work as the shoulder blade protracts during your torso rotation toward the ground.
  • Correct imbalances because of the unilateral focus so you can make sure both sides are strong and working efficiently.

You’ll also find this movement really helps you improve your mind-body connection to recruit many different muscles at once to stabilize everything. I know it can be a frustrating coordination and balance challenge to start, but that is so key for actually improving our strength gains ultimately.

The more efficient and able we are to recruit the correct muscles to stabilize, the stronger ultimately we will be so we can run faster and lift more.

And bonus, if you are a runner, this is for sure a must-do core move if you’ve ever had knee, hip or lower back aches and pains!

Now…how do you do the Single Arm Rotational Plank With Knee Drive?

To do the Single Arm Plank Rotation With Knee, set up in a side plank position from your hand with your bottom leg staggered on the ground behind your top leg. You won’t be on the inside of that front foot like a regular side plank but will actually want to place the sole of your foot on the ground.

Make sure your hand is under your shoulder as you set up and you’re engaging your back to support your shoulder so you aren’t shrugging or straining it. This is key to supporting you as you rotate.

Then lift that back leg as if kicking it back and up toward the wall behind you as you rotate your chest toward the ground to counterbalance yourself. You will reach that top hand out as if almost trying to create a line across your body from your heel to your finger tips.

You should almost feel like you’ve rotated into a front plank position as you lift and reach out.

Then pivot back into the side plank position and, as you do, tuck the knee of your extended leg and elbow of your extended arm together, slightly crunching. You’re performing a little cross body crunch as you twist. Make sure your hand is still under your shoulder so that you’re shoulder isn’t straining as you twist.

After slowly tucking the knee to the elbow and feeling yourself pivot around that shoulder, extend back out.

You will feel all the muscles around your rib cage as well as your obliques, abs, adductor and quads especially as you crunch together.

Move slowly so you can stabilize. Do not rush if you feel off balance.

How can you modify this move?

How can you adjust this move if you feel your shoulder straining or adductor or groin becoming overworked?

A first little tweak you can make to the move is touching your foot down behind you instead of lifting it up. This little touch to pause and balance in the movement may be all the modification you need to start.

If you struggle with hyper mobility, especially in your elbows, you may also choose to modify this off your forearm.

However, if you don’t feel in control of any aspect of this movement, your next modification should be off an incline. The higher the incline, the more you can reduce the resistance of the movement.

As you feel stable, you can slowly lower the incline to progress the move.

You may even find you combine the incline with the foot tap to start.

The key is making sure you’re able to properly stabilize that shoulder to really focus on those obliques working to rotate and help you stay balanced!

The Best Core Exercise You Aren’t Doing

The Best Core Exercise You Aren’t Doing

by | Nov 15, 2021 | Blog, Core, Exercises

Your core is everything from your shoulders to your knees down your frontside and your backside.

And when you train your core you want to work in every plane of motion, including both anti-rotational and rotational core work.

You want to consider not only how to create a stronger core, but also a better mind-body connection to stabilize and support your shoulders, spine, pelvis, hips and knees.

And that is why I love this amazing core move the SIT THRU!

Now this move looks slightly odd and can feel awkward and complicated to start, it also requires more stability and mobility than we realize.

But it is an amazing move to work on your rotational core strength, targeting your abs and obliques while also improving your hip and shoulder mobility and stability. You’ll feel this move working the muscles around your ribs, your shoulders and arms as well as your quads.

It requires no equipment to do as well and can even be a great way to get your blood pumping, making it a fun move to even use as additional core work in an interval cardio workout.

Plus the basic Sit Thru can so easily be combined with other moves to match your needs and goals, whether it’s performing it as a Burpee Sit Thru, Crawl with Sit Thru or even Sit Thru to Thoracic Bridge!

So how do you do this amazing basic Sit Thru move and what if you aren’t yet ready for the full variation?

How To Do The Sit Thru:

To do the Sit Thru, start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Tuck your toes under and press up onto your hands and toes or balls of your feet.

This is a bulldog position and your knees should be hovering a few inches off the ground.

Lift one foot to kick under your body as you rotate to face that way. As you bring your leg forward and through, extending it out, lift your hand on the side you’re kicking toward so you can rotate your chest open.

You will be supporting yourself with your other hand and foot. Make sure to keep that arm straight and do not shrug the shoulder.

You want to rotate all the way through with your leg out straight so that you are almost sitting, and even could touch your butt to the ground if you needed to pause and re-balance. This is the sit thru.

Then rotate back close, placing your hand back down as you bend your knee to move back into that bulldog position.

You want to avoid your legs straightening out more into the plank as you perform this move. That tight position is what not only works your quads but helps improve your mobility.

You also want to make sure your hands stay under your shoulders to help keep your shoulders stable while improving your shoulder mobility. Do not shrug as you do this move.

Then kick through to the other side.

The faster you move, the more challenging, and even cardio, the move will be!

But what if you don’t have the mobility or shoulder stability yet to do this move?

How To Modify The Sit Thru:

One of my favorite ways to modify the Sit Thru is off a bench or incline. By placing your hands up on a bench, you provide more space to perform the sit thru and you reduce the strain and load on your arms and shoulders, abs and quads.

It can allow you to still work on that same position and rotational move while improving your shoulder stability without the strain.

As you feel more comfortable and improve your mobility, you can lower the incline over time.

If you do not have an incline, you can also modify this move by kicking your leg under in that bulldog position without raising your hand. This can be great if you don’t yet have the shoulder stability too, however it does take out some of the benefits.

SUMMARY:

Just remember a move is only as good as our implementation. We need to regress to progress and make sure we are not just replicating a movement pattern but also feeling the correct muscles working.

Have some fun including the sit thru in your routine and feel that core working!

Ready to learn how to use moves to match your needs and goals?

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The Side Plank – How To Do It The Right Way

The Side Plank – How To Do It The Right Way

by | Oct 24, 2021 | Blog, Core, Exercises, Pain Relief

Isometrics are key exercises to include in your routine to improve your stability and mind-body connection. They are a great way for you to target underactive muscles and really get them firing correctly.

They are a great way to make sure that you’re using muscles efficiently and effectively to work together to perform a movement.

Because we have to remember that part of getting stronger is learning how to quickly and efficiently recruit muscles to work together in the right order, each carrying the load they were meant to carry!

But so often these seemingly simple moves are taken for granted.

We simply try to get through the hold, or hold longer, instead of really focusing in on engaging muscles correctly as hard as possible.

That’s why I wanted to discuss one amazing core isometric, the Side Plank, and not only why this move is so key but also how we can get more out of it to not only strengthen our entire core but also avoid knee and shoulder aches and pains.

What The Side Plank Works:

The side plank is an amazing unilateral core move that can help you improve your shoulder, spinal, pelvis, hip, knee and even ankle stability when done correctly.

Because it’s a unilateral move and works each side independently, it an help you even correct imbalances. If you do have an imbalance, you may find you do an extra round or even only rounds of side planks on one side.

It is a great anti-lateral flexion, or anti-side bending, exercise to include to help you learn to brace to protect your spine.

While the primary focus of the side plank is to strengthen your obliques, it will also work your glute medius, glute max, lats, shoulders, and QL (quadratus lumborum) to name a few of muscles involved.

It really is a full core move and can help you build stability from your shoulders to your feet.

But to get all of these benefits, you need to focus on what you actually feel working as you perform the hold and, at times, even concentrate on engaging each of the muscles involved a bit harder.

3 Form Cues To Improve Your Side Planks:

That’s why I wanted to share these 3 Key Form Cues to help you really proper engage the correct muscles as you hold.

#1: Flex your foot to create tension through your lower leg.

If you want to get the full benefit of the side plank and even help protect your knees and ankles, you can’t ignore the importance of creating tension through your lower leg as you hold.

This will not only improve your efficiency with the movement, but it will help engage the muscles from your ankles to your hips, including your glutes.

To flex or dorsiflex your foot, pull your toe up toward your shin to engage your lower leg before you even lift up into the side plank. Then really focus on pushing the side of your foot down into the ground as you hold to keep that tension.

You don’t just want to lift. You want to create that tension.

You can then either stack, or stagger your feet. Neither is technically bad and both can have their benefits.

Some argue that stacked is harder as there is a smaller base of support while others will argue the staggered is better to create tension and be able to better transition from front to side plank variations.

The key is truly creating the tension through your lower leg to improve your knee and ankle stability and even better engage those glutes!

#2: Squeeze your glutes.

Often we get so focused on this move as an oblique exercise we only lift through our torso, letting our hips ultimately sag and we miss out on the amazing benefit the side plank can have for improving our hip stability!

As you lift up into that side plank, squeeze your glutes to extend your hips and lock yourself into that nice straight line. Think about almost slightly squeezing your butt to push your hips forward.

This will help you avoid rotating toward the ground and even overloading your TFL and QL which can perpetuate SI Joint, IT Band issues and even lower back, hip and knee pain.

We want muscles to learn to engage to support each other, which often means focusing on that engagement in muscles that tend to be underactive.

By also engaging your glutes, you avoid rotating toward the ground and overloading your shoulder as you hold. Activating our glutes can actually help better engage our lats.

And not only do you want to focus on that glute max engagement, but you also want to think about the side of your butt lifting your hip up to maintain that hold. Focusing on the glute medius working will help you really use this move to improve your hip stability!

#3: Engage the side of your back to support your shoulder.

If you’ve ever found that side planks irritate your shoulder, you need to make sure you aren’t just relying on those smaller muscles to hold. You want to also engage your back and lats to support your shoulder properly and help stabilize it.

As you set up for the side plank, make sure that your elbow is underneath your shoulder and that you aren’t shrugging.

Even think about slightly pulling your shoulders down as you set up to hold.

Then as you hold at the top, to keep your back engaged, think about pushing your elbow down into the ground as you pulling your elbow slightly toward your feet. Your elbow will not move, but this focus as if you would adduct the shoulder if you could, engages your lat to help prevent shoulder issues.

Learning this engagement can not only help us avoid neck and shoulder aches and pains but also improve our scapular and shoulder stability, which in turn can improve our other pressing exercises, like our bench or push ups!

SUMMARY:

Using these 3 cues you can help yourself properly engage all of the muscles involved in the side plank to get more out of this amazing move and really improve your mind-body connection.

Focus on holding harder and run through what you feel working as you hold over just trying to hold longer or “get through” the time.

Try adding in some side plank holds for even 20-30 seconds to your activation series before your workout to activate everything from your shoulders to your knees!

The Most Underrated Core Exercise

The Most Underrated Core Exercise

by | Aug 5, 2021 | Blog, Core, Exercises

A strong core is one that can not only power rotation but also PREVENT IT.

So often our core training focuses on rotational moves. Maybe some anti-flexion or extension exercises too…

But if you actually want to be able to avoid injury, you’ve got to build a strong, stable core that can prevent unwanted or unneeded rotation.

And that’s why ANTI-ROTATIONAL core work is so key!

Being able to control or prevent rotation will help you improve how you transfer force between your upper body and lower body.

So not only does this anti-rotational core work help protect your spine, but it also can help you improve your shoulder and hip stability as well.

Plus, to be able to power rotation efficiently, you first have to learn how to prevent and control it!

So if you even want to get stronger with your rotational moves? You want to include anti-rotational core work as well!

Because Anti-Rotational Core Work is so important, I think it’s key we include moves like this amazing plank variation – The Plank With Row.

The basic plank is a great anti-extension exercise. And by adding in the row, we can make it a great anti-rotational move as well.

And while I feel so often planks are an overrated movement because of how we use them, constantly focusing on holding longer over holding harder, I think some plank variations done for shorter intervals of work with intentionality and focus on what you actually feel working, can be the missing piece in our core training routine.

Plus, because they require no tools to perform, you can use them whether you train at home or at a full gym!

With the Plank with Row, you will work to build anti-rotational core strength and avoid your body’s urges to want to twist as you change your base of support to perform the row.

It is a great move to improve your shoulder, spinal and hip stability while also activating the muscles of your back. If you’re struggling to really improve your scapular control, this is a great way to work on it as you strengthen your abs, obliques and even glutes!

Here are 3 tips to help you maximize the benefit you get from this fundamental anti-rotational move.

3 Tips To Help You Master The Plank With Row:

Tip #1: Slow things down.

Often when we do reps of a movement, we just are focused on getting them done.

Or when we feel ourselves losing balance, we try to rush through.

But with this anti-rotational core move, it’s key we SLOW THINGS DOWN.

We want to focus on that mind-body connection and what we feel working.

When we feel unstable, we want to slow things down and focus on engaging muscles harder.

As you lift to row your hand up, focus on pulling the elbow down and back by using your upper back. Feel yourself drawing that shoulder blade toward your spine.

Focus on feeling your abs and obliques work to avoid rotating open as you row up.

Feel the side of your back on your supporting hand stabilize the shoulder.

Even feel your glutes flex to keep your hips stable as you drive back through your heels.

Slow down the movement to really fight the rotation and be present in your body and intentional with the movement.

You want to slow things down to prevent unwanted movement and learn to engage things properly.

Tip #2: Push the ground away.

Creating that solid connection with the ground through your hands and the balls of your feet will actually help you better activate everything to stabilize.

Don’t just get focused on the movement, focus on feeling yourself push that ground away to better stabilize your supporting shoulder.

And focus on driving your feet down into the ground to fight your hips desire to rotate as you row up. It will help you create more tension through your legs.

Part of including anti-rotational core work is learning how to transfer force between your upper and lower body.

That means knowing how to properly create tension through your core.

This starts at your foundation or your connection to the ground!

Tip #3: Set up with a wider base.

Our body is amazing in that it will find a way to replicate the movement we ask it to perform whenever possible.

However, this can mean it will recruit muscles it shouldn’t if we aren’t careful to MIMIC the movement we want to perform.

It’s why all too often people end up feeling their lower backs during planks when their abs should be working.

Sometimes we need to regress to progress so we can make sure we’re using the correct muscles and creating those more efficient recruitment patterns.

That’s why the base of support you create when first learning this movement is key.

You can always modify any plank off a bench to reduce the resistance. But with anti-rotational core moves, you can also change your base of support.

With this Plank with Row, you can start with your feet wider apart than shoulder-width and hands together under your chest.

This tripod position can help you have that base of support to really focus on fighting the urge to rotate as you row.

As you build up strength, you may find you bring your feet in toward hip width while slightly widening your hands out.

But don’t rush to change your base until you can fully control the move.

Doing a supposedly “harder variation” you haven’t earned will only backfire.

SUMMARY:

If you want to improve your core strength and stability, do not ignore the importance of anti-rotational core work!

Moves like the Plank with Row are a great way to improve your shoulder, hip and spinal stability not to mention strengthen your back, abs, obliques and even glutes!